Crushed
by Dejavued
Summary: Popularity wasn't what he thought it would be, but it was better to be a bully than to be bullied. Until one day he couldn't stand back and watch them hurt her anymore. He'd already hurt her enough and he didn't know if he could ever make up for it.
1. Chapter 1

Check out my full novels on Kindle. Follow Your Heart and Game Changer. I hope they are enjoyed as much as my fanfiction. :D

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** The characters in my stories are completely made up characters and have temporally been given borrowed names for the sole purpose of satisfying the qualifications for posting on this fanfiction site. These stories are fiction and should be perceived as such. They in no way reflect the lives, beliefs or views of any persons living or dead and any similarities are coincidental. I am not affiliated with any company or professional wrestler in any way. No disrespect or copyright infringement intended. And if any of my favs happen upon my stories, I hope your not offended because this is not

* * *

This is my new rough draft. It's a high school alternate universe storyline.

* * *

Chapter 1

My car was in the shop. I stood waiting on the bus after school with a group of freshman. I towered above them. They all looked too young to be in high school and I started to wonder if I had looked that small two years before.

The ugly yellow vehicle pulled up, its brakes squealing as it came to a stop and I filed in line for a ride. I could have bummed a ride from any of my friends, but I wanted to be left alone that day. My current girlfriend, Christy, would have jumped into any car I got into. I didn't feel like dealing with her.

I liked to sit in the back of the bus, but there weren't many of those available by the time I climbed aboard. I could have taken any seat I wanted, but instead I flopped down in the first empty seat in the middle, sitting next to a girl who instantly cringed and slid as far away from me as she could. I took a glance at the girl who hid her face behind long wild red hair. She didn't look at me. Actually, she trembled a bit. I blew out a deep breath and directed my gaze straight ahead.

I was a bit of a bully. Well, me the friends I hung out with, but that shit wasn't entertaining anymore and I really didn't like the way some of my peer's eyes filled with fear when they saw me coming. I couldn't even make excuses anymore. For a year and a half I told myself that I wasn't doing anything wrong. I didn't start shit. I was just there while my friends did. I didn't like the things the jocks did to the weaker, smarter kids, but I didn't stop it and I laughed at their teasing just so I would belong.

The girl beside me nervously opened the small paperback sitting on top of the stack of books she held on her lap.  
"Whatcha reading?" I casually conversed.

She didn't even look my way and I thought I heard her taking heavy breaths.

I lifted the book and read the title.

"I should be reading that." I stated blandly. "I couldn't get past page one."

Most the books I had in that class was hard for me to get into. I wasn't much for books or reports or papers. I wasn't into much of anything which explained why I was cut from the football team. My talent on the field didn't matter at all I guess.

"It was hard to get past the first few chapters." She spoke very soft almost whispering. "But after that it's really good."

"I'm failing that class." I admitted. The girl was in my English class and she was smart. She had skipped a few grades. I guess she had her priorities straight. "Maybe I need a new partner in study hall." She was in that class with me too. She was in a few of my classes come to think of it.

"Maybe you should drop out of CP classes." She whispered sarcastically, then abruptly held her books to her chest. Like She was trying to curl up into a protective ball.

I guess she thought her words would anger me. My friends teased her more than any other kid in the school. She always walked around with her head down. Her wild hair always concealed her and she wore old clothes. They weren't in style at all. Some were tattered and dingy looking. Even the poorest of kids had nicer things even if they weren't brand named.

"You're probably right." I chuckled.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and stared with a dropped jaw.

"Wow." I always thought she was sweet and didn't deserve what we did to her, but I had never been close enough to really see her. "You have the prettiest eyes I've ever seen." I blurted out. Electric blue eyes is what I wanted to call them.

"Excuse me." She said meekly, rose and slipped past me.

I followed her off the bus. I was two stops from my own and I don't know why I was suddenly drawn to this girl.

"Wait up!" She glanced behind just long enough to notice I was following her then she bolted into the nearby wood line. I ran after her, ducking under limbs that her shorter frame had no trouble getting by. "Hey!" She ran faster until she tripped over a small branch and fell to the ground.

She was sobbing and holding her ankle when I caught up to her.

I towered over her. Staring at the girl who tried to inch away as I came closer. I should have said something but I couldn't take my eyes off exposed skin. She'd torn the frail tee shirt she'd worn that day. It barely hung on and I was again in awe.

I stared too long at a tattered bra that was too small for her ample bosom and leered at a tiny waist that was well-toned. I was instantly aroused.

I don't know what possessed me to drop upon the girl and force my lips against hers, but I couldn't help myself. Those lips were so pouty. Those eyes mesmerized me and thinking about her innocence turned me on.

"Please …" She begged, pushing me away with all her strength that was no match for mine. "Please leave me alone."

"I don't want to hurt you." I whispered, then jerked what was left of her tee shirt away. "I want to possess you."

She squirmed beneath me as I held her down with just my body, leaving my hands free to expose more of the hidden treasure I had found. I removed her bra and brought my lips to touch beautiful pink nipples. There was nothing deformed or ugly about them. I cupped her breast. It was so perky and just the right size. The first set of pretty tits I had ever touched in my life.

"Roman … stop … please." She begged but I didn't feel like she was fighting as much as she would have if she didn't want me to do what I was doing.

"Don't you get tired of being a good girl?" I grinned menacingly and stared into her eyes and watched her reaction as I slid my fingertips down her well-toned middle and unbuttoned the worn out khaki's she wore. "I know you like me." I had seen it in her eyes many times. I could always tell when a girl had a crush on me. I saw it in her eyes then.

Whap!

I was stunned. I never expected her to strike with so much force. I was dizzy. Disoriented. I rolled away. Laying on my back. My head throbbed. I touched the spot she'd hit. My hand came back bloody. I gazed at her. She tossed away a rock. Scrambled to her feet. She cried out in pain and fell back down. She grabbed her ankle, then stared at me with terrified eyes as I got to my knees. My focus returned, but my head still throbbed.

"I'm sorry." She'd knocked some sense into me.

"Roman … please." She cried as I crawled towards her.

I fell to my bottom and cradled my head in my hands. What had I done? I wasn't myself anymore. The drugs coursing through my veins made me into someone I hated. Yet, I popped those two tablets the minute John placed them in my hand in the bathroom just before the final bell rang.

"I'm sorry." I repeated. I had liked her once before. When we were freshman. When I was a tormented as much as she was. I couldn't even find the nerve to talk to her.

Then the summer came and I changed physically. I grew taller and bigger. My father introduced me to weights when I complained about my stick thin body. It gave me enough confidence to try out for the football team. I made quarterback and downed protein shakes the entire tenth grade year. I wasn't ashamed of my body anymore and I was happy that I was accepted by the same people who had once made my life hell.

I guess they forgot that I was once a awkward kid with braces that was too skinny for his age and I stood back while they did it to others all that time just because I didn't want to go through it all again. That was why I took the first pill. That was why I sneaked alcohol in between classes. Until that day. I gazed at myself in the mirror and I didn't want to be high anymore. Those things made me mean. It clouded my judgement and I'd gotten on that bus because I needed to get away from the people who enabled my addiction.

Then I saw her. Those eyes and I was still attracted to the sweetheart that spoke with a soft voice. She was my first crush and it came flooding back just as I felt the pills effects.

She tried to get up again and limped a few steps away, covering her bare breasts as best she could with her delicate hands.

I stood, peeled off my shirt and went to her. She was crying when I approached her again. I hated what I had done. What I would have done. I slipped my shirt over her head and covered her nakedness. Her horrified expression mixed with confusion. I gently rubbed her upper arms. My eyes on my feet.

"You just saved my life today." I whispered, then planted a kiss on her cheek and walked away.


	2. Chapter 2

Check out my full novels on Kindle. Follow Your Heart and Game Changer. I hope they are enjoyed as much as my fanfiction. :D

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** The characters in my stories are completely made up characters and have temporally been given borrowed names for the sole purpose of satisfying the qualifications for posting on this fanfiction site. These stories are fiction and should be perceived as such. They in no way reflect the lives, beliefs or views of any persons living or dead and any similarities are coincidental. I am not affiliated with any company or professional wrestler in any way. No disrespect or copyright infringement intended. And if any of my favs happen upon my stories, I hope your not offended because this is not

* * *

This is my new rough draft. It's a high school alternate universe storyline.

* * *

Chapter 2

Roman disappeared after that day in the woods. I heard his group ask about him when I passed them in the halls in the morning the first week and after that no one ever said his name. I didn't tell anyone what he'd done. Who could I really tell?

I limped home that day and entered my home on a day when my father was home. Most days I entered an empty house. My stepmother would stumbling well after dark and some days my father didn't come home until the middle of the night.

I froze in the doorway wearing a stranger's tee shirt with twigs in my hair. My eyes swollen and my face stained with tears and no one thought for a moment that something bad had happened. My father flew from the sofa and I paid dearly for the things he thought I had done. But that was just how my life was. My father was a hateful drunk who would render his wrath for the simplest of things. I had been beaten most of my life for thoughts that crept into his head. To him, it was real and nothing I could say would convince him otherwise. I guess drugs did that to people.

As funny as it sounds, going to school was a relief for me despite all the bullying and teasing I endured. I could ignore the childish things the kids called me. I could ignore the way they picked on the clothes I wore. They were all things I couldn't control and those kids were just too immature to understand things like that.

But I had liked Roman. I knew he was part of the popular crowd. I knew he was one of the jocks that picked on me, but he just had this look. Oh, it was exotic and sexy. He was one of those guys that you just fell for the moment you laid eyes on him and he seemed to get better looking every year.

I was shocked by him that day. I had expected him to follow me through the woods. Knock my books out of my hands, maybe even shove me to the ground, but I never thought he would do what he did. I had dreamed of kissing him so many times, but not like that.

I laid in bed many nights thinking that I should have given into his kiss. Then I called myself crazy, knowing what he would have done if that rock hadn't been in my reach.

I placed my books in the locker. The school year went by too fast for me. I would be a senior the following year, if I survived the summer. Summers were always hell.

One more month and then I didn't know what to expect from my life. Just being around seemed to piss off my father. I took a deep breath and closed the locker and came face to face with a guy I didn't expect to see again. He leaned against the locker with his arms folded over his chest and said nothing. My heart raced and I hurried past him, but it did no good. He was in my next class.

He sat on the other side of the room, but I still felt like he was staring at me.

That was the part I couldn't understand. I knew what I looked like. There was nothing attractive about me. I mean I knew I wasn't a dog, but the way I had to dress made me ugly. I couldn't wear makeup and my hair was untamed and dull because I was forced to wash it with bar soap. So, I didn't understand what could have turned a guy like him on. Roman could have anyone he wanted easily. Why had he wanted me?

I glanced up and I was right he was looking at me. I covered my face with my hand and became self-conscious. Maybe he was trying to figure it out too. I thought he was probably sickened by the fact that he had touched me. And I was hurt by that. How silly does that sound? The guy pushed himself on me and I was worried that he was disgusted by his momentary attraction when I should have been worried that he would try it again. I couldn't wait to get out of that room.

The bell rang and I rushed out and hurried to my last class. I took my seat in the back of the room and pulled out a book. I was going to miss that free period. I wasn't going to be able to do much reading after school. It was just another one of those crazy things my father didn't allow me to do.

I'd forgotten how many classes I had shared with Roman. He flopped down in the seat beside me and I hated how close his desk was to mine. The last people to use them must have pushed them together and they didn't bother to try and put them back correctly.

Roman didn't glance at me once in this class. He sat with his hands propping up his head and he stared at the surface of his desk. That's when I noticed how different he looked. He was still muscular but not as big as he had been the last time I had seen him and he didn't have the large veins showing beneath his skin. He had dark bags beneath his eyes like he hadn't been sleeping. It was obvious something was tearing him apart inside and I didn't dare think it had something to do with me.

He wasn't sitting with his friends that were in the class. Maybe they had cast him out. Maybe that was why he was so depressed. It couldn't be easy to fall from popularity and he had been one of the most popular guys in school before he'd disappeared.

I wasn't worried until I got on the bus and he sat down beside me. That bothered me. He didn't speak to me there and I was almost terrified to get off the bus. The only thing that made me move was knowing that what my father would do to me if I arrived home late would be worse than anything Roman might do to me.

Roman followed me off the bus again, but I didn't run this time. I knew it wouldn't do any good. He would catch up to me no matter how fast I fled. I just hugged my books and closed my eyes waiting for him to snatch me.

I hesitated taking the short cut through the woods, but knew it would take ten extra minutes if I took the long way. It was a hard choice to make knowing I was taking a chance either way.

"You didn't call the cops." He spoke as I stepped into the woods.

"No." I stopped and turned.

Roman stayed on the sidewalk with his hands in his pockets.

"Thank you." He said meekly, then continued down the sidewalk.

I blew out the breath I was holding. I guess he's been trying to say that the whole time.


	3. Chapter 3

Check out my full novels on Kindle. Follow Your Heart and Game Changer. I hope they are enjoyed as much as my fanfiction. :D

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** The characters in my stories are completely made up characters and have temporally been given borrowed names for the sole purpose of satisfying the qualifications for posting on this fanfiction site. These stories are fiction and should be perceived as such. They in no way reflect the lives, beliefs or views of any persons living or dead and any similarities are coincidental. I am not affiliated with any company or professional wrestler in any way. No disrespect or copyright infringement intended. And if any of my favs happen upon my stories, I hope your not offended because this is not

* * *

This is my new rough draft. It's a high school alternate universe storyline.

* * *

Chapter 3

That wasn't what I wanted to say to Katlyne. I wanted to explain everything about that day to her, but it all seemed like a bunch of excuses. Summer began I still hadn't found the nerve. My heart ached after that day because I knew I felt something for her. Something I had always felt that had never gone away. I know she didn't understand and none of my friends would understand if they knew. But I only saw beauty when I gazed at her. She didn't need those things. Her eyes alone were enough to knock the wind out of my lungs and I loved to hear her sweet voice. She rarely spoke, but when she did it tickled my ears and made me smile.

I had forgotten all of that until that day on the bus. My mind was clouded by so many things.

"You want one, Man?" John turned to me in the parking lot a diner and held out those little pills that I still craved.

"No." But I stared at them.

"Are you sure? You're getting scrawny dude."

"I don't need that shit." I moved past him. I heard my friends talking as I walked inside. I hadn't said much to them since I returned to school. I probably should have stayed away but I didn't know where else to go. I was used to them and I had no other friends.

I took a seat in our normal booth and picked up a menu. I hadn't left my house in a long time. It had become my comfort zone and I felt a little anxious being away from it most the time. But I knew I had to get back to living. I couldn't hide forever.

"What's up with you these days?" Mike was the first one to ask me that. He sat in the booth with his arm around his steady girl.

"Nothing." I lied. "I'm just tired."

"It's that job," John remarked. "Who the hell takes a full-time job while still in high school?"

"I like the work." And I did. Working in the local mill kept my mind occupied.

"Look who's here." Maryse pointed and giggled with her pal, Julia who used to be my girlfriend.

"Frizzilla works here?" Julia laughed.

I rose my eyes. Katlyne rang up a customer at the register.

"Awe, she's trying to blend in." Julia snickered. "That looks like one of your shirts, Roman."

"I'm pretty sure they sold more than one." I shrugged, but it was my shirt. I was shocked that she wore it, but I guess it was nicer than some of the things she had. It was the nicest shirt I'd ever seen her wear. I knew a little about her life. I'd heard my parents talk about the local mechanic and he spent all his money on drugs and booze. I'd also heard how he made his daughter wear the old clothes that people gave to him to use as grease rags in his shop.

"You have a table, Katlyne." The cook pointed from the grill and she turned our way. Her smile disappeared instantly.

"What can get for you?" She spoke politely.

I know I was staring. She was wearing make-up and it made those eyes stand out. I'd never seen her hair in a ponytail before and it showcased her perfect complexion and delicate features. Geeze the girl could be a model.

"yeah." John grinned. "You can clean up my water." He knocked over the bottle he'd brought in with him, making it spill into the floor.

Katlyne didn't roll her eyes nor did she growl as she walked off and came back with a towel to clean up the mess. All my friends cackled. Julia passed her bottle to John.

"Oops." John poured the bottle out the minute she'd cleaned up the first, making sure that the liquid rained over her head.

"Leave her alone," I growled.

John stopped. His eyes bore into me.

I went back to reading the menu, then ordered a cheeseburger plate. The others followed suit and then Katlyne walked off.

"What the hell was that?" John snapped. "Are you getting soft, Reigns?"

"I don't want to get banned. I like the food here."

"He's got a point," Mike told him. "She's not worth it."

"Well, I don't know if I can eat food that she's touched," Julia complained.

"That's so immature." I spat. "And exactly why I dumped your ass."

"You changed Roman," Julia argued. "You're not the same person you used to be.

"I was never that person. It was the steroids."

She snatched the bottle that Maryse held for her boyfriend in her purse and poured a bunch in her hand.

"Why don't you take a few!" She yelled after dropping them in the tea Katlyne had just sat down in front of me. "Because you're boring as hell without them."

Katlyne paused for a moment and stared at me. I couldn't meet her eyes. I adverted my gaze, only looking back when she took my glass away. She gave a quick smile and walked off.

"Nosey bitch." Julia spat, then folded her arms over her chest like the spoiled brat she was. I don't know what I ever saw in her.

"Thank you," I said when Katlyn returned with a fresh glass of tea. And I guess that pissed off my ex who attempted to throw another handful in my glass.

"Julia, chill out," Maryse took away the bottle. "Geeze!"

"Hey, hey Roman!"

I glanced up to see the kid I worked with at mill. He waved from the door and walked toward me. He flopped down in the seat beside me and I introduced Jacob to the people I was embarrassed to know at the moment.

"Can I get you something?" Katlyn returned promptly to take Jacob's order.

"Hey Sweetie," Jacob said politely. "Just bring me the same thing this big guy's eating. Maybe I can bulk up a bit if I eat like him." Jacob was always joking, but the intimate name he called our waitress caused sparked jealousy inside me. "I swear that is the best waitress my dad's ever hired."

"Your father owns this place?" I asked.

"Nah, he's the cook, but he does most of the dirty work for the owner. He's worked here since I was like five I think."

My long time friends didn't seem to like Jacob joining us at the table and they didn't mind being obvious about it. They had their food put in boxes and left before Katlyn could bring it to our table.

"Your friends are … cool." Jacob smirked and moved to the seat across from me.

"Yeah. They all have cold hearts." I spat.

"Why do you hang out with them?"

"Habit I guess."

Katlyne served us and I could only give a weak smile while Jacob complimented her eyes.

"Damn, I have to go." Jacob had only eaten half his burger when his phone beeped. "I swear the boss can't think of anyone else to bother when people call in."

"Tell him I'll come in if he needs someone."

"Will do."

"Can I sit here." I had been picking at my food a really long time when a sweet voice interrupted. "There's nowhere else."

The place was busy and I guess she was on break. She sat down and began to eat an order of cheese sticks. She made me nervous and the guilt that I carried around lodged itself in my throat.

"Katie I am so sorry about what I did." I finally spat out the words. "I was really … really messed up."

She didn't respond.

"I know that's no excuse …"

"But you're clean now?"

"Yeah."

"That's good."

"It still doesn't make it right."

"It's okay."

"You're too good a person." I chuckled, swallowing down the tears I wanted to cry. "How can you still be so nice to me?"

"I understand what drugs can do to someone, that's all. I'm glad you stopped." She gave another weak smile and went back to her job.


	4. Chapter 4

Check out my full novels on Kindle. Follow Your Heart and Game Changer. I hope they are enjoyed as much as my fanfiction. :D

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** The characters in my stories are completely made up characters and have temporally been given borrowed names for the sole purpose of satisfying the qualifications for posting on this fanfiction site. These stories are fiction and should be perceived as such. They in no way reflect the lives, beliefs or views of any persons living or dead and any similarities are coincidental. I am not affiliated with any company or professional wrestler in any way. No disrespect or copyright infringement intended. And if any of my favs happen upon my stories, I hope your not offended because this is not

* * *

This is my new rough draft. It's a high school alternate universe storyline.

* * *

Chapter 4

"Where's your paycheck?"

Thank goodness the diner paid me in cash. It was the only way I was able to hold on to a little bit each week when my father had his hand out every pay day. I guess it was discouraging to work so hard for practically nothing, but it did give me freedom and a few new clothes that my father thought I needed to get better tips.

"If she's going to be a slut she might as well use it to make money."

I hated the way my father brought up the subject of me getting a job. He made my stepmother take me to the thrift store to get a few pairs of jeans and then he sent us to the diner that had a help wanted sign in the window. I was terrified. I had never asked for a job before and no one gave me a hint of what I needed to do. I was thankful that the old man behind the counter gave me a shot because I probably would have been in for it when I got home if I hadn't gotten the job.

I was given some of my stepmother's shirts which were old but in better shape than the ones I owned. I liked how the jeans fit me. I didn't feel like I was constantly having to hold up my pants and I thought I looked a little normal. Even more so when I was forced to start wearing makeup. My stepmother did show me how to put that on and gave me some of the stuff she had in a box that she didn't like and she had a lot of stuff she hadn't liked.

The change was surprising, but I knew there was always a reason behind my father's actions. I made decent tips and a minimum wage paycheck each week. Which was generous considering the way most places paid waitresses far less just because they made tips.

Those tips helped me a lot. I was able to save money, hiding it in an abandoned shack I passed in the woods each day. I was confident that I would save enough money to buy a car by the time I had to leave for college. That was important. All I needed was a car and gas money and no one would be able to stop me. Especially since I learned I leave home at seventeen and no one could make me return home.

Gus, the cook, gave me a lot of advice. The man knew my father. I don't know how well he knew him because they always talked like old friends, but the guy had never hung around with my father. He never visited my house or anything. Sometimes the things he would say would make me think he knew something about my life.

His son Jacob ate at the diner almost every day. He stopped in for lunch before going to work every day and after that weekend, Roman started to join him.

I couldn't understand why it didn't bother me to see so much of him. It only bothered me when I caught him staring at me a certain way.

I was glad he was there when the goons he hung out with showed up. They were always there on Saturdays, and popped in randomly during the week. He always spoke up when they teased me. I guess he was trying to make up for what happened that day because he'd never said anything when they bothered me before that day.

"Hey Frizzilla!" John called out every time he showed up. He was worse when he came with his friends and he had five with him the week before school started back. They were making a lot of noise in the diner. Disturbing the other customers.

"Hey, can you guys keep it down?" It was part of my job to quiet down rowdy patrons, but I usually had to do that with the youth baseball team that came in after their games. Nine year olds not guys who were nearly adults.

"Keep it down?" John smirked. "Yeah, we'll keep it down."

"Thank you." I took their order and headed away. Everything seemed to be going smooth. They didn't seem occupied with other subjects besides bullying me.

The place was packed. I was running everywhere all at once it seemed, but I loved it. I enjoyed our busy nights more than anything else. I made great tips and I smiled and laughed more than I ever did any other part of my life.

"Order up!"

I heard that little bell and filled a large tray with five plates, headed to drop them off at a table and tripped over the leg that was thrust out in front of me as I passed. The table of goons roared with laughter as my face smacked the floor and I sat in mess of spilled entrees. It felt like I had broken my whole face and the pool of red beneath my nose was not ketchup.

"Keep it down." John mocked and shoved me down with a foot each time I tried to get up.

"Back off." Gus was there helping me to my feet. I was stunned. He escorted me to a stool and dabbed the blood from my nose. The other waitress started cleaning up the mess. The whole place was really loud with chatter.

Then a finger lifted up my chin and I stared into Roman's eyes. I'd never seen that look on his face before. Not even that day in the woods.

"Have a nice fall, Frizzilla?" John teased and his whole table still roared with laughter.

Roman stormed over and jerked John out of the booth by his shirt. John was a big guy and Roman shoved him out the door like he was a rag doll. They argued outside. John pushed Roman and Roman came back with a punch to his jaw, knocking him to the ground. And he didn't let up until the others pulled him off.

They continued to yell. Roman was held back by two guys and I wondered if they were all going to attack him.

"What the hell is your problem?" John yelled wiping blood from his lip.

I heard bits a pieces though the door opening when a customer went out.

"I told you not to touch her!" Roman bellowed.

"Her? Roman? Really? You're going to give up our friendship for that nerd?"

"What did she ever do to deserve what you did in there?" Roman asked in a calmer tone. He shook off the guys that held him. "It's funny how you only push around people weaker than you, John." He spat. "But you and I both know that you're terrified of me – That's my girl – you might want to remember that. Every damn one of you better remember that."

Then he walked back into the diner and sat down in a booth even though it was still covered with the discarded remnants of the prior customer's meal.

He seemed really pissed off. Jacob joined him and they talked. Roman tossed pieces of the napkin he was tearing across the table. Jacob seemed to be trying to calm him down.

"Go on home," Gus insisted. "Keep an ice pack on, maybe it won't bruise so badly."

I nodded, grabbed my purse and headed out. I was a little scared to walk near the group still hanging around outside. Especially when they stopped talking and stared at me as I passed.

"I'm driving you home." Roman placed an arm around my shoulder and escorted me to his truck. "Get in." He growled when I hesitated, his eyes narrowed at John and the goon squad.

I wasn't comfortable sitting next to Roman in that truck and I trembled when he took a turn off the road that led to my home. He took me down a dirt path almost grown over by shrubs and trees and parked in front of a cliff with a river below it.

I guess he anticipated my next move because he locked the doors before I could grab the door handle. I couldn't unlock it from my side and there was knob to pull on. I was stuck. Waiting for him to do whatever he had on his mind.

He didn't do anything but stare ahead with his hands wringing in front of him. We were there about an hour before he finally spoke.

"I – um." He took in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "I took a pill today and – and – I – shouldn't be here with you."

"What did you bring me here for Roman?"

"I just planned to take you home." He sighed. "Then … I'm not completely clean. Some days I can't …"

I don't know what caused me to turn sideways and touch his hand, but I did.

"Why me?" I had to know. Was I just an easy target? Was it because he knew I would keep my mouth shut?

"I have these strong urges and I'm fighting a battle trying to control myself." He told me. "I'm – I need to take you home."


	5. Chapter 5

Check out my full novels on Kindle. Follow Your Heart and Game Changer. I hope they are enjoyed as much as my fanfiction. :D

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** The characters in my stories are completely made up characters and have temporally been given borrowed names for the sole purpose of satisfying the qualifications for posting on this fanfiction site. These stories are fiction and should be perceived as such. They in no way reflect the lives, beliefs or views of any persons living or dead and any similarities are coincidental. I am not affiliated with any company or professional wrestler in any way. No disrespect or copyright infringement intended. And if any of my favs happen upon my stories, I hope your not offended because this is not

* * *

This is my new rough draft. It's a high school alternate universe storyline.

* * *

Chapter 5

"Where do you live?" I growled when I got to the area where the bus let her off.

"Just let me out here."

"I'll take you home."

"No. You can't." She nearly shouted.

She reached for the handle, but I didn't unlock her door.

"I'm taking you to your door." I growled. The drugs had taken their full effect and I was getting frustrated by her resistance. I was almost to the point of being out of control. Where I was at my meanest. Where I no longer cared about anything.

"Please Roman. Let me out." Her panic was obvious.

I jumped out of the truck. Taking my keys and locking the door behind me.

Katie was scared of me and it pissed me off. I was so mad I punched the tail gate of my truck. I couldn't calm down. I couldn't stop brooding. I gave the truck a shove, then stormed to her door. Pushed the button to unlock it and jerked it open.

"Why can't I take you home?" I snapped at her, knowing why but I wanted it to come from her lips.

She slipped out of the truck.

"Because there are worst things … things that hurt far worse than anything you and your goon squad could do to me." She meekly stated and dipped under my arm.

It wasn't the answer I was expecting.

I grabbed her. Trapped her against my truck and forced my lips on her. She didn't resist me. She didn't fight or push. She returned my kiss even when it turned aggressive.

I cupped her face in my hands and stared intently.

"You belong to me." I made that clear. I wanted her and I was going to have her. "No one touches you but me. Do you understand me?"

"That's not really something I can control." She whispered. Her hand touched my hand that still gently held her cheek. "I have to go."

I woke up the next morning feeling like a large boulder laid on top of my head. My stomach churned and my hands shook. I was freezing and I couldn't get warm. I knew it wouldn't go away until I took another dose. I reached for the bottle, paused then turned my back on the cure. I would make it through that day, but I was never able to make it more than three or four days before I gave in.

I stayed away from Katie on those days. As long as I didn't see her I was usually okay. When I was using I acted on all my impulses and those actions could hurt Katie even if they were provoked by my heart.

I curled brought the blanket up to my chin and closed my eyes. I shouldn't have went to that diner the night before. I knew I had started something with John that wasn't going to go away. I'd dealt some pretty hard blows to the guy. Now he was going to be a big problem.

Yet, I didn't regret it. I just wanted to see her. I just wanted to watch her smile and laugh with the customers. The way she smiled always made me feel better and I was feeling really bad that night after giving in. I told myself just one and it wouldn't be that bad.

One was just enough to make me go off when I walked in and saw Katie with blood smeared across her face. If it had been just John and myself I fear I might have killed the guy.

Then I had to claim her. Even sober I was possessive over that girl, but now she knew it. I could only imagine how scared she was at that moment.

Then her words came to me. Landing on my ears for the first time and I sat up like a dead man rising from the grave.

She couldn't control if someone touched her or not?

She had more to worry about than what me or the school bullies could do to her?

What did that mean? And had she really given into my kiss or had that been part of my delusions?

I wasn't sure what was real and what was what I had wanted to hear? But I can't imagine I'd ever want to hear things like that.

I made myself get out of that bed. I grabbed that bottle and went into the bathroom and poured them in the toilet and gave it a flush. Those damn things cost me everything! I was never going to be able be with Katie. I'd attacked her twice. She'd seen my temper at its worst. I had no chance in hell with her and I couldn't get her off my mind.

I stayed away from her the rest of the summer. The withdrawal's I went through were terrible. I went to work anyway. Hiding it from everyone. My parents didn't know I still took the pills and Jacob was the only friend I had left. I didn't want him to ditch me. Who wanted to be friends with a junky?

I stayed away from the diner and Katie. I didn't understand what she'd said, but I saw the sadness in her eyes. I believed I caused most if not all of that, so I just stayed away from her. I didn't even watch her from afar. I loved her … I fell for her the moment I realized that she could speak kindly to me after I had committed the unthinkable. Hearts like hers were rare. I'd never find another like her and I had to live with my mistakes.

"Man, I wish we went to the same school." Jacob commented.

Our last day of working double shifts. Our senior year started the next day and I wasn't looking forward to it. For the first time since freshman year, I would be walking the halls alone. I wondered if my old hiding spot was still free.

"You still look sick, Roman. Maybe you should go see a doctor."

"You sound like my mother." I spat. "I'm fine. I'm just tired from all these hours."

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow night. I'm starting to wish I'd taken the night off. The first day of school always wears me out."

"Yeah." But I knew mine was going to be much worse than his. He had a couple friends to hang out with at his school.

I drew a lot of stares when I walked through the doors of my high school. John and my old friends glared as if they dared me to try and walk up to them. I ignored them and the balled up notebook paper they threw at me. And I thought seniors would act a little more grown. I guess I was mistaken.

I headed to my old spot. The abandoned wing. I dipped under the rope and headed to the first hall to the right. I sat down in the darkened corridor and leaned my head against the wall. I'd eaten a lot of lunches in that old place. Above me the same holes were in the drop down ceiling. The same tiles were missing. I think the paint on the walls peeled a bit more, but it was the same lonely place.

It was part of the original school. Made out of wood instead of cement blocks. The town's nostalgia kept it from being torn down. Now it just became refuge for the rejected until the bell rang. I hated that damn sound.

I rose and readied myself for the long day. I placed my hands in my pockets … then turned when I heard the creaking of the old classroom door.

"Hi." Katie addressed, hugging her books tight against her chest.

"I thought I was the only one who snuck in here." I smiled the moment I laid eyes on her.

"I learned it from you." She gave me a shy grin. "I saw you come here a few times." I chuckled and watched her walk toward her class. Which was my first class, but I didn't have to see her again until lunch. The next day she was in my first and last class of the day. She ended up being in my lab group in biology. I guess I couldn't even stay away from right.


	6. Chapter 6

Check out my full novels on Kindle. Follow Your Heart and Game Changer. I hope they are enjoyed as much as my fanfiction. :D

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** The characters in my stories are completely made up characters and have temporally been given borrowed names for the sole purpose of satisfying the qualifications for posting on this fanfiction site. These stories are fiction and should be perceived as such. They in no way reflect the lives, beliefs or views of any persons living or dead and any similarities are coincidental. I am not affiliated with any company or professional wrestler in any way. No disrespect or copyright infringement intended. And if any of my favs happen upon my stories, I hope your not offended because this is not

* * *

Thanks so much for all the reviews and follows guys. I love reading every one of them. :D

* * *

Chapter 6

"What are you doing?" My father barked before the sun had even risen. I think he was just coming in. "Just because you're off work doesn't mean you're going to do nothing all day. This house is filthy." He tipped up his beer and I rose from the hard plywood floor I slept on and put up the sheet I laid on.

I rubbed my arms. It was cold, but I was used to that. The heat didn't seep into the small pantry that served as my bedroom and the hole in the corner didn't help. I was always terrified that something would crawl through it at night. Something had once. A stray cat. It had curled up next to me and purred all night. But my father chased it off a couple weeks later when he saw it hanging around outside. He hated animals. Didn't matter what they were. It was the closest I'd ever had to a pet.

My parents stuck around that day, so I couldn't get away with doing just what needed to be done. As long as it looked good they never noticed if I did it the exact way they wanted. I was stuck on my hands and knees scrubbing the old tile floor of the kitchen for hours. And when I got done, I had to start all over because my father still saw spots. He was high. He often hallucinated after snorting a few lines.

My father seemed to go to work less and less those days. My stepmother seemed to see her friends less and they were both spaced out or passed out by midafternoon. That's what I hoped for. I just wanted to sit at the kitchen table and sip a cold glass of tea without someone telling me how fat it was going to make me.

A knock on the door made my father flip the station on the television so he could see what the outside camera captured. The man was so paranoid that he'd covered all the windows with plywood because he thought there was always someone spying through them.

"Hello, sir? Is Katie – I mean Katlyn home?"

I think my heart stopped beating. I never paid attention to who knocked at the door. No one ever asked for me and I slowly rose from my knees and stared at Roman. I don't know how he found out where I lived. I didn't know why he was there. He hadn't said much to me in a really long time.

I was embarrassed. I was wearing an old pair of shorts. A holey tee shirt. My hands were pruned and I was covered with dirty suds up to my elbows.

My father let him in and he crossed the room to the bar that separated the kitchen from the living room. I tucked a loose strand of my messy hair behind my ear and stepped to the other side. He held a package in his hand.

"I – um – saw this and I – I – couldn't walk out of the store without buying it." Roman was such a tough guy and seeing him so tongue tied seemed so odd – and cute.

I opened it carefully, catching the angry stares of my father. His face was turning red. I knew that look.

"You didn't think you had one." Roman acted shy or nervous as I pulled the black leather backpack from the bag. It was studded and shiny. It was pretty and it looked expensive. "Anyway … um – I'll see you at school." He left.

I stared at his gift. No one ever gave me a gift before. Not even for special occasions.

Whap!

The first strike came before I heard Roman's truck start.

"What are you doing with that boy?" My father bellowed.

I took every hit and I knew the gift would be taken. My stepmother would take it or they would sell it or give it to someone who's good side they wanted to be on. My father slapped me many times in the face. I was shoved to the floor an then received punishment by his belt until he grew bored. I could barely stand up when he was done. I don't think he missed a single part of my body.

"Get out of my sight." He spoke. "You sicken me."

I crawled to my room and folded myself into the thin sheet. I sobbed. I don't know how I survived my childhood. It seemed impossible. I closed my eyes. I wanted to sleep, hoping I wouldn't wake up.

"Here!" My father opened the door before I could ignore my pain enough to succumb to slumber. "I hope it was worth everything you did to get it." The bag slapped me in the face as he flung it. Then he slammed the door.

I ran my fingertips over the bag. It was the nicest item I ever owned. I sat up and unzipped it. I hadn't even owned a purse before and this thing had lots of pockets. Inside the front pocket I found a box. I opened it and held it to the beam of light coming through the bottom of the door so I could see. I ran my fingertips over the chrome plated pen and pencil with Katie engraved on them. There was a note inside.

I noticed you liked to draw. I hope you can use these. And he drew a messy little heart. It brought tears to my eyes even though I knew he was still trying to make up for that. I was going to have to tell him he didn't have to keep trying. I already forgave him a long time ago.

XXX

Katie didn't come to school the rest of the week and she seemed frightened that day at her home. That killed me. I don't know why keep imagining that she could be happy to see me.

I wasn't high that day. Or the day I'd bought the bag. I planned to give it to her at school, but I couldn't make it through the weekend and she wasn't at work that day. I was feeling so good that I'd momentarily forgotten that seeing me didn't bring Katie joy. How could it? I was a threat.

When she came back to school, I stayed away from her but I ended up having to stand beside her in biology. We were spending more time doing lab work and our other two partners seemed to have taken a liking to each other. Their giggling, flirting and sneaking kisses depressed me because I couldn't even accidently brush Katie's hand without a pain shooting through my chest.

"You and you."

I wasn't paying attention to the teacher until he pointed at me and Katlyne.

"Go to the media room and fetch the cart."

I guess we were watching a video that day. Another gruesome clip of what could happen to the body. That year was full of stuff like that. It made me wonder about the project momentarily before I became nervous about our walk to the library. I wished I had taken a pill. It would have eased off my anxiety. It seemed I didn't feel normal without it anymore. I felt like a twitching wreck.

Katlyne walked quietly beside me. I didn't speak to her and she didn't speak to me. I noticed she was using my gift, but I didn't know what it could mean besides the fact that she needed those things and was too poor to buy other options. It made me feel bad because those things probably caused her to remember what I had done to her every time she laid eyes on them.

I couldn't take those thoughts anymore. I dipped a hand in my pocket and stopped at the water fountain. I dipped my hand into the baggie and put two pills in my hand, but a dainty hand on my arm stopped me from bringing it to my mouth.

Katlyne didn't say anything. She stared at my closed fist. Carefully she pried it open with no resistance from me.

I stared at her. Her eyes met mine, then went back to the pills. She pinched them between her fingertips, then walked away taking them with her.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets. I didn't bring anymore with me. I wasn't even sure why I always kept them on me. But I didn't feel secure unless I knew they were there and at the same time I felt guilty because I still wanted to take them. I didn't understand the battle. I craved it so badly. I fought my mind, knowing how horrible I would feel when I swallowed them. It never made me feel better. Not until I felt its full effects. Then I was alright for a few hours because I didn't care about anything. I guess that's because they weren't just steroids. They were something else. I didn't know what the guy I bought them for put in them, but I bought them anyway. I really was an idiot.

Katlyne dropped the pills in the trashcan right before we entered the library. I was baffled. She was the one person who had a right to yell at me. Who should have been angry about my drug use, but she was the only one who didn't. My parents had screamed when they found out what I had been doing. They were disappointed and didn't even look at me. Not even after they dropped me off at some farm to get help. I spent four months there working in fields and doing homebound school work with their teachers supervising. I felt isolated even though I wasn't the only one there.

I managed to get through it, but I was still sneaking pills from time to time. Those people didn't really pay attention to everything we did. They didn't even search my bags to see if I had smuggled anything in. If they had done that one thing, I knew I would clean. I'll I learned was how to take just enough to take the edge off. Just enough to make me seem like I wasn't doing anything at all.

"It's in the backroom. You'll have to get it because I don't have any help in here today." The librarian told us and directed us to the back storage closet.

"I'll get it." But the girl came in with me anyway.

The room was dark. I didn't know where the light switch was. All I could see was the reflection of the outside light bouncing off the television screens. I grabbed the first cart and pulled it out, but we still had to find the videos on the shelves that lined the walls.

I stood back and watched her browse the shelves looking at the list with a small flashlight in her hand. I guess the librarian had given the light to her.

"You look good in my shirt." I grinned like a fool. I still couldn't get over seeing her wear it.

"Oh," she blushed. "You probably need it back."

"No." I chuckled. "I like seeing you wear it." If I was high I would have believed that day in the woods had been a wonderful experience and that she wore my shirt because she was fond of me. That she wore because she liked to feel close to me, but I was sober. I knew better.

"Thank you." She said sweetly. "I really like the backpack … and the pens, but you don't have to buy me things, Roman. I'm not mad at you … I …" she stopped talking and went back to searching for the video.

"Tell me what you really think, Katie. You're always so nice but I know there has to be something you don't say about that day."

"I wish I didn't stop you."

I didn't know how to respond to that. She faced me. Her expression was so sad I just wanted to pull her into my arms, but I kept my distance.

"And sometimes … I wish you would do it again." She snatched the video from the shelf and started for the door.

"What is this? Are you trying some reverse phycology bullshit on me?"

She paused and shook her head from side to side, but she didn't look back. "Your touch didn't hurt." I thought I heard her choke up.

"You sound as crazy as I am." I tried to laugh. I shut the door and stood too close to her. I wanted to hold her, but I managed to refrain.

"You're not crazy." Oh, that voice of hers was so sweet and soft.

"You can't expect me to believe that you want me to rape you."

"It wouldn't be …" she whispered then left the room.


	7. Chapter 7

Check out my full novels on Kindle. Follow Your Heart and Game Changer. I hope they are enjoyed as much as my fanfiction. :D

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** The characters in my stories are completely made up characters and have temporally been given borrowed names for the sole purpose of satisfying the qualifications for posting on this fanfiction site. These stories are fiction and should be perceived as such. They in no way reflect the lives, beliefs or views of any persons living or dead and any similarities are coincidental. I am not affiliated with any company or professional wrestler in any way. No disrespect or copyright infringement intended. And if any of my favs happen upon my stories, I hope your not offended because this is not

* * *

Thanks so much for all the reviews and follows guys. I love reading every one of them. :D

* * *

Chapter 7

I was more confused than ever as we sat on our stools watching the video about the morgue and autopsies. Katlyne discreetly wiped away tears and my head was propped up with my hand. I wasn't paying attention to the video. I didn't care what morbid thing the teacher wanted us learn. Anyone glancing at us probably would have thought we had a fight. But they would never guess what was going on in our heads.

I couldn't deal with my emotions. I craved relief from my drug more than I had earlier and I didn't have one in my pocket. I felt jittery and chilled. My mind raced. I saw images of that day. I knew she was scared. I heard her telling me to stop. I still had a scar from the rock she'd hit me with. Maybe I'd imagined everything that happened in the library. Maybe I had taken that pill and just didn't remember. That had happened before.

XXX

I waited on my customers that night, but my mind wasn't on my work. I felt like I was moving on autopilot. The recent events of my life and fear of the near future almost paralyzed me. I still couldn't believe what my father had said. His drug addiction and pursuit of money had taken over his mind completely and the new way he wanted to bring in revenue made me sick to my stomach and I only had a day left before I would be forced to … perform. Then, even Roman wouldn't want to me.

"Hi Roman." I set his order in front of him shortly after he sat down. He ordered the same thing every day and I hung it up in front of Gus as soon as I saw him in the parking lot. It wasn't busy that day. "Jacob's not coming today?"

"I don't know. We're off work today."

I sat down across from him. I was ready for a break. I hoped he didn't mind me sitting with him. I liked being near him. I felt safe with him.

Roman was calm that day. He gazed at me with that little mischievous twinkle in his eye. He used that day. I could always tell.

"What time do you get off tonight?" He asked then laughed. "I know you're playing a game with me Katie, but you have to know it's only a matter of time before you lose … everything. I can't control myself all the time."

"Then don't." I snapped at him. I was really tired that day and really sick of trying to maintain a little bit of my own life. I wanted to be in control of something and felt like I was in control at that moment even though I probably wasn't.

"Girl, you have to stop teasing me." He growled. "You think I want to hurt you?"

"I'm about to clock out now." I informed him and went to the back room long enough to do just that. Then I walked out the door and headed toward my house. He didn't follow me. I headed into the wood line and went to the old shack that sat half way between the road and the shitty trailer I lived in. I wasn't ready to go home yet. I went to the little can I kept hidden in the back of a cupboard in the small kitchen and deposited half my tips I had made that day. It was dark. I had gotten off a couple hours early because we were slow, but I didn't want to go home.

I never knew what I would face when I returned home each evening, but it was rarely good.

There was an old bed in the bedroom of that old shack and even though the mattress was falling apart from age but it was more comfortable than the floor I slept on. I decided I would lay upon it for a little and rest before heading into a new kind of hell.

I was grabbed from behind before I could take a step. A hand covered my mouth to stifle the surprised scream I had let out. I didn't expect him to show up.

I turned and placed my arms around his waist. I needed to be held and he didn't mind holding me. His embrace seemed so loving. I didn't feel threatened at all. Not even when he pressed his lips against mine and trapped me against the wall. His hands wandered hungrily beneath my shirt and touched me in places only he had touched before.

I gave in. I didn't fight. I didn't pull away. My body fell limp against his.

He growled in frustration. I knew he was fighting against his own thoughts and he was losing. He grabbed my hand and pulled me through the small shack. Hunting until he found the old bed. He pulled me into the room and I found myself beneath him.

I was lost in his kiss and the way he softly touched my body. He wasn't aggressive or mean. He didn't immediately go for what I thought he was after. It was like we were just making out. Like I imagined we would have done if we were dating. I felt him grow harder. I felt him losing control and he tore himself away from me.

He sat on the edge of the bed. "You're giving in because you think it's easier." He stated with a sigh.

"You're just acting on your impulses." I could tell he was tormented and I didn't want to see him go through it anymore. "You're attracted to me and I know you can't control anything right now."

"I'm a horrible person – I don't want to hurt you."

"You're not hurting me."

"You fought me last time."

"I was scared."

"Because I forced myself on you!" he bellowed.

"Because I wasn't ready to go that far." I sobbed. "I had this huge crush on you, but I wasn't ready to do that much." I thought about that day a lot and how I had always dreamed about him kissing me. I remembered how stunned I was when he'd touched his lips to mine, but he'd gone too far too quick and I was terrified of going that far when I hadn't even dated the guy. And I was terrified my father might find us like that. I wasn't the only one that used that path.  
"You need to get out of here. You need to run as far away from me as you can get."

"Have you done this to other girls?"

He shook his head.

"Is this all you want from me?"

He shook his head again and stared at his hands.

I made the move then. Touching my lips to his, making him lose control. My clothes came off quickly and so did his. I submitted myself to him completely, but I didn't expect his penetration to bring pain. A sharp pain shot through my abdomen. His thrusts hurt so much I tried to back out but he wouldn't let me. He had lost all control and my small whines didn't stop his love making. I clung to him as he moved. Listening to the heavy breathing in my ear, hoping the pain would subside.

I'd heard that the first time would hurt, but the pain was supposed to go away. It wasn't. Not until he removed himself. He had a wild look in his eyes and he continued his torture with his fingers which surprisingly felt good and caused me to explode. He flicked his fingers a few more times, causing an extreme amount of pleasure inside my body before he returned to using his instrument. Again I felt the pain, but it didn't feel as uncomfortable as it had before. He collapsed upon me shortly after. He shuddered and I wasn't sure if he was okay or even still conscious.

"I told you I would hurt you." He whispered in my ear. "I hurt every girl I sleep with." He gazed intently into my eyes. "I never wanted to hurt you."


	8. Chapter 8

Check out my full novels on Kindle. Follow Your Heart and Game Changer. I hope they are enjoyed as much as my fanfiction. :D

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** The characters in my stories are completely made up characters and have temporally been given borrowed names for the sole purpose of satisfying the qualifications for posting on this fanfiction site. These stories are fiction and should be perceived as such. They in no way reflect the lives, beliefs or views of any persons living or dead and any similarities are coincidental. I am not affiliated with any company or professional wrestler in any way. No disrespect or copyright infringement intended. And if any of my favs happen upon my stories, I hope your not offended because this is not

* * *

Thanks so much for all the reviews and follows guys. I love reading every one of them. :D

* * *

Chapter 8

Roman disappeared again. Just like the first time. The teachers stopped calling his name in class after the first few days. The gossip said that he was finishing school online. It hurt that he was in town and I never saw him. I guess he had gotten what he wanted and I was sure I'd never see him again. I missed him and gave him more than my body. I had given him my heart as well.

My love for him gave me strength to fight against things I had never stood up to before. I told all those old men that approached me in the diner to go to hell and took my father's wrath when I got home. I wasn't going to lay down with them no matter how much they paid my father. I refused to become a prostitute just to support my parent's addiction.

But it didn't stop the rumors from spreading around town. I didn't matter what I really did. My father's invitations spread like wildfire and I took even more teasing at school. The names really hurt.

All the household chores fell on me too including running all the errands. At least I got a license out of it. My parents did less and less and they did whatever they had to do to put more on my shoulders. I felt like I was taking care of invalids most days. They moved around like zombie's most days. When they moved at all, but they were nice to me during those times.

I ran into Roman at the grocery store. He snuck up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Hi." He whispered in my ear.

"I haven't seen you."

"I know."

"You only want to sleep with me too." I muttered. It had slipped out, but it was something that I had been thinking. No one ever asked me out. Even a few boys at school who believed I was easy hadn't asked me on a date. They wanted to hook up and that was it.

"What do you mean too?" Roman growled, his hold on me releasing.

I glared and picked an item off the shelf.

"What do you mean too?" He shouted and swept a row of boxes off the shelf, drawing the attention of the other shoppers.

"I haven't seen you in two months." I said meekly and I walked off leaving him fuming. I had a lot of shopping to get done and I still had to be at work in a couple hours. I didn't have time to deal with my heart. I didn't even look at his face to see if he was high.

XXX

"Ugh! Take a hint." I screamed at this nasty looking guy that was twice my age. He wasn't as old as the others that approached me but he was the nastiest. He was covered head to toe with grime. He had large flakes of dandruff in his greasy head and his teeth were greenish. I guess my father was hunting his next fix that night. "You and my father are disgusting!"

But he still trailed a finger up my arm as I tried to wipe off the tables. I was so glad there weren't many people in the diner, but I wished I hadn't offered to work the last few hours alone and lock up so Gus could go home early. He wasn't feeling good and swore he'd caught the flu that was going around.

"You're a picky whore now?" I guess the guy thought I followed through with many men.

I picked up a glass of water from a dirty table and threw it in his face.

"Bitch!"

I didn't care what he did to me. I didn't give a shit about anything anymore. Why should I? It wasn't like anyone gave a shit about me. No one spared my feelings or even cared what I wanted. I was so sick of people thinking I was this horrible slut. I hated that my own father called me those names since my body showed signs of being different from a boy's. I didn't ask to be born a girl. I didn't ask to be given the parts that men all wanted to fondle. I started to hate my body and the things that attracted men. The guy's hand touched my bottom and I cringed.

"Get your hands off my girl!"

I heard the growl and by the time I could look towards it the greasy punk was being dragged by a large arm about his throat.

Roman was furious. He had that wild look. I couldn't tell if he was high or not. I guessed that he was.

"I'm just making sure he don't kill the guy." Jacob stood against the counter watching. "My old man wanted to make sure you didn't have problems closing up."

"I better not catch you in here again." Roman threatened the guy, slamming his head into the glass door before opening it.

"Hey pal, the girl is mine tonight." The man hissed. "I don't know when you paid her father, but I was here first, so you're going to have to stand in line."

I wished the Earth would open up and swallow me.

"If you put your hands on her I'll kill you." Roman shouted. "I'll kill every damn one of you son of a bitches!"

"Oh shit …" Jacob shoved off the counter and out the door the moment Roman pulled a pistol from his waistband. The greasy haired man scrambled away like a frightened rat and Jacob had to talk fast to make Roman lower his weapon.

"What the hell is going on?" Roman stormed into the diner and towards me with fire in his eyes. "Are the things I'm hearing around town true?" He swept the contents off the counter. "Answer me!" But he didn't raise a hand to me, nor did he come get too close.

"Roman … Roman!" Jacob reasoned. "She's not doing anything."

Roman glared at him.

"She's not. It's her old man … she's refused every one of them. That's why Dad wanted us to swing by on our way to town."

I wasn't sure how to take Roman's outrage. Or his sudden appearance or the way he reached out to touch my hand.

"You can't just come around here laying claim to me." I spoke too damn softly when I wish I could speak with the anger that was inside of me.

"I'll give you a few minutes." Jacob walked out, leaving us alone.

"I haven't seen you in two months." I gazed at the floor.

"I was getting clean."

"You could have called."

"You don't have a phone."

"The diner does." I wiped a tear from my eye. "You used me."

"No." he insisted. "No. I just couldn't be around you … not the way I was."

"Are you high now?"

"I haven't taken a pill since that night." He swore. "I have a temper, Katie. I'm jealous and I'm possessive. Getting rid of the pills won't change that." He took a deep breath. "I need to know something about that night because I am never sure what was real and what was imagined. Did I … force you?"

"You weren't hearing things, Roman. I wanted to be with you."


	9. Chapter 9

Check out my full novels on Kindle. Follow Your Heart and Game Changer. I hope they are enjoyed as much as my fanfiction. :D

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** The characters in my stories are completely made up characters and have temporally been given borrowed names for the sole purpose of satisfying the qualifications for posting on this fanfiction site. These stories are fiction and should be perceived as such. They in no way reflect the lives, beliefs or views of any persons living or dead and any similarities are coincidental. I am not affiliated with any company or professional wrestler in any way. No disrespect or copyright infringement intended. And if any of my favs happen upon my stories, I hope your not offended because this is not

* * *

Thanks so much for all the reviews and follows guys. I love reading every one of them. :D

* * *

Chapter 9

Maybe I shouldn't have been happy that Katlyne wanted to be with me when I knew it was only because of the abuse she'd gone through all her life.

I'd moved in with Gus and Jacob. They helped me when no one else could. I hid away from every temptation and everything that made me want to grab a pill to cope.

The whole time all I talked about was my Katie and how much I cared about her. I couldn't bring myself to tell them that I had pushed myself on her. I didn't want them to hate me. They were both fond of her. Gus told me a lot about her father and her home life and I soon realized that she fell for me only because I hadn't physically hurt her. She forgave me because my touch had been kind despite my crime. I shouldn't have taken her heart that way, but I was selfish. I wanted her and I didn't care how I had gotten her.

I stayed until she locked the doors, then I insisted on taking her home. She didn't drive that day and I wasn't going to let her walk that road alone even though I knew she'd done it many times. I felt she had rejected too many men that had paid her father and I feared someone would snatch her away from me. The only thought I hated more than thinking someone else was sleeping with her was thinking someone might hurt her.

"Let me out here."

"Nope." I insisted on taking her to her door and she began to tremble. She was shaking uncontrollably when she stepped out of my truck and she was tearing up when I got out and walked to the door with her. I stepped inside her home and I stared her old man defiantly. "Pack." I growled to Katlyne. I didn't care if I had to pick her up and carry her out of that crappy place. I didn't care if I had to kidnap her – she was going home with me. "Now."

She walked slowly away from me. I knew she was scared and I knew she was scared of me as much as she was scared of the man that threatened with only his eyes.

It didn't take her long to gather her things. She stood in front of me with a garbage bag half full and the backpack I gave her over her shoulder.

I took the bag and her hand. I pulled her out of that place and made her get inside my truck again. I threw her things in the back and headed toward Gus's. Jacob knew what I was going to do. He was waiting at the end of the drive way in case I ran into trouble.

I took her downstairs to the basement room I rented and I locked the dead bolt behind us before descending the stairs. I didn't come away from my addiction completely normal. I realized I was a controlling person. It was the one thing I hated about the drug. I hated being out of control. While I was getting clean I became obsessed with that.

"We're leaving town in a couple of weeks." I sat down in my favorite chair and kicked up my feet. Katlyne stood still for the longest time. I flipped on the television and found a movie. She sat down on the bed and stared at nothing even longer.

I didn't know if I was going to be in trouble for what I'd done. Katlyne was sixteen and I had just turned eighteen a few weeks before. Gus said her father wouldn't involve the law, but it didn't make me relax. My plans to leave and get away from the demons that tried to lure me back started a long time before that night. Originally I didn't plan to take Katlyne with me, but I didn't know how I was going to go on without her. I had never been too far away. I watched her from a distance. I had to see her, but I stayed strong, never letting her know I was there. After hearing Gus's stories. I just couldn't leave her behind and I didn't put much planning into it.

"This is kidnapping, Roman." Jacob warned me when I went upstairs to retrieve the towels I had left in the dryer. "You know that right?"

"I know." I agreed. "But she's better off as my hostage than where she was."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know." I didn't have a plan past what I had done. I always had a plan. Always. "She just walked out with me." I stated still unable to believe she'd come with me without the slightest argument.

"If her father shows up, he's not coming with the law." Jacob warned. "And the man collects guns."

"I know, but he's going to have to kill me to get her back."

XXX

Everything around me was unfamiliar. I wasn't used to that. I was disoriented. I didn't know what to say or think or even feel. I'd always dreamed that someone would come and take me out of that place, but I never thought I would walk out so easily. It didn't seem real and I kept waiting for the next phase – where my father would show up and drag me back.

I bit my nail. Imagining what was going to happen was driving me crazy.

Roman returned carrying a basket and he poured a pile of towels on the bed and folded them. He didn't demand for me to help or even ask me to help. He didn't demand anything. When he was done he put them in a small bathroom and went back to his chair and the movie he was watching.

I could tell he had a lot on his mind too, but I wasn't sure what problems troubled him the most. He probably didn't realize what kind of monster he'd pissed off, but I did. I knew my father and he'd killed a man before. Once. Where we'd lived before. I was a small child, but I still remember the gun shot and I still remember that man dropping to the floor. I remembered my father and a friend of his carrying the guy out and coming back covered with mud.

He'd been a better man then. A better father. I didn't want to think what he might do under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

I let myself really scan the room for the first time. It was still obviously a basement, but I could tell some recent changes had been added to make it an apartment. There was a small kitchen with no stove and a dented refrigerator. The cabinets still had price stickers on them and a electric two burner appliance sat on the counter with a toaster oven beside it.

The walls around the small bathroom were unfinished. I saw a frame on the outside and from what I could see on the inside the sheet rock hadn't been painted. Everywhere else was paneled and the carpet was thin. There wasn't much padding beneath it and I could still feel the hard concrete beneath it. There was four windows. Two on each side of the room, but they were both long and not very wide. No one was going to climb through one of those windows. It made me relax a bit because there was door leading to the outside. Just the one door that lead to the main floor of the home we were in.

I got up and went to the kitchen. I needed to do something. I glanced in the cupboards and pulled out a few items. Found a pan and started to cook. I liked cooking and I heard Roman's belly growling. I think he glanced my way a couple times, but he didn't say anything and he didn't smile. I wasn't sure if he liked what I was doing and that made me nervous. I wasn't sure what I could and couldn't do there. It wasn't like my home where I knew what was expected of me. I didn't know what Roman expected.

I'd seen Roman's temper. He was a dangerous man. He was powerful without even trying. I knew I had a crush on him. I knew I liked him, but I didn't really know him and I wondered how much of the kindness I saw in him was real and how much was part of my imagination.

I made a simple meal of boxed macaroni and cheese. It was all he really had in the cupboards. I filled two bowls and carried a bowl to Roman with a glass of sweet tea I had made at the same time. I hoped the ice made it cool enough. He only had a few pieces. I liked mine hot, so I didn't mind putting it all in his glass.

"Oh, thank you." He seemed shocked when I served him. "You didn't have to do this."

"You sounded hungry." I sat on a padded ottoman and ate. I actually felt hungry that night. I never felt hungry. My stomach was usually filled with angry knots. Surprisingly, I hadn't felt them since I had gotten to Roman's place.

"You make this better than I do." He laughed when he finished and set his bowl in the sink. "I'm going to get a shower." He gathered some clothes and gazed at me from the bathroom door like he was a little scared I wouldn't be there when he returned. That look alone let me know that I wasn't his hostage or he would have made sure I couldn't leave.

I washed the dishes quickly before he started the shower and wiped my hands on a dish towel. I felt like I was living in a dream then. Almost like I was playing a game of house like I had when I was a small child and fantasies were definitely better than living in reality.

XXX

Every muscle in my body ached. The higher paying job I worked in the mill wore me out. I had to lift a lot more and I was constantly twisting and bending. I let the water rush over my head. I'd installed a tankless style water heater and I never regretted it because I never ran out of hot water. It was a luxury I knew I would miss when I left town, but one I planned to replace immediately.

A pair of hands embraced me from behind and I felt her head lay against my wet back. I hadn't heard the bathroom door open or the glass door to the shower. I turned to face her. I know I stared too long. It was the first time I was seeing all of her clearly and I really liked the view. I had no intentions of being intimate with her. That wasn't my reasons for bringing her with me, but with her standing there like that it was hard not to be aroused.

I held her close. I loved the way her skin felt against mine.

"It's dangerous for me to be like this with you." I whispered.

She giggled. "Why do you say that when I came in here to be with you."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't hurt me."

"No." I shook my head and climbed out of the shower. "I can't make love to a woman without hurting her."

"It was my first time, Roman. That's all …"  
"No, that wasn't it," I tried to explain. "I'm cursed, Katie. My ex – Chris. She calls me a freak because …" I closed my eyes. So many men wanted to be bigger. They were obsessed, but I wished I wasn't so well endowed. It wasn't normal the way I was. I was too thick. That's what Chris had said. I wasn't human. That's what the other two women I'd been with said and I should have never been with Katie. I knew I hurt her more than the others during sex because she'd been a virgin. "Us being together … like that … it's not going to be possible. I refused to hurt you."


	10. Chapter 10

Check out my full novels on Kindle. Follow Your Heart and Game Changer. I hope they are enjoyed as much as my fanfiction. :D

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** The characters in my stories are completely made up characters and have temporally been given borrowed names for the sole purpose of satisfying the qualifications for posting on this fanfiction site. These stories are fiction and should be perceived as such. They in no way reflect the lives, beliefs or views of any persons living or dead and any similarities are coincidental. I am not affiliated with any company or professional wrestler in any way. No disrespect or copyright infringement intended. And if any of my favs happen upon my stories, I hope your not offended because this is not

* * *

Well, guys I am out of ideas already. So this will be the last chapter. It didn't go how I thought it would when I started and I think I just went through the storyline quicker than I planned. I have another story idea with the same base concept in mind. So I'll be starting that one real soon. Maybe I'll get this one right one day. :D Thank you so much for reading and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

* * *

Chapter 10

I didn't see my father. He never came to drag me back home. The first week I got the guidance counselors help and signed up for online school. I forged my father's signature to all the documents they needed. I'd never done anything like that before, but I felt I had no choice.

I didn't leave that basement much after that. I went to work with Gus in the mornings and worked until closing then I spent half the night studying. Roman bought me a computer and I swear I didn't know how to react to coming home to find that thing with a big red bow on it. We both spent most the night doing school work. It wasn't the same as being in class together. It was like we were weren't in the same room at all until I heard him groan. He tried to push himself to do more each night even though he was exhausted. We both did. I think it we used it as a distraction.

Making out with Roman was wonderful. He couldn't go to sleep without kissing me and those kisses always lead to more, but he would tear himself away the moment he felt he was losing control. That night was different. We went further than we usually did and he only pulled away a moment before closing his mouth over mine again.

"I'm going to take a shower." He tried to leave, but he couldn't stop kissing me. "Damn …it's getting harder to stop … ugh … I want you so bad."

"Then don't stop." I encouraged him.

"No … we have to stop." But I refused to let him go. I couldn't take it anymore.

"Just go slow this time." I pulled him back into the bed and we became one.

He pushed himself inside of me gently, taking his time and letting me get use to his size. I could tell it felt good to him. He moaned the moment he was completely inside. It hurt, but not as much as the first time. He kept a slow rhythm for a while and soon, I felt nothing but pleasure. Geeze, I knew no other man would ever be able to please me after being with him.

XXX

"You're spoiling me."

Katie cooked for me every single day. I swear I didn't have to lift a finger at home. That basement apartment looked great and I felt bad because she worked just as many hours as I did and I couldn't figure out any other way to tell her how much that stuff meant to me. All I could do was buy her the biggest bouquet of roses I could find. I brought them home to her and she acted like I had given her a car.

"I'm getting excited about moving." We sat down in front of the television and ate.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"We?" I chuckled. "I love that. You really want to go with me?"

"If you want me to."

"I don't think I would make it very long without you." I teased. "Not the way you've been treating me. I think I've forgotten how to do things for myself."

"Jacob and I bought this big piece of land together. It's a farm. They mostly sell dairy and the owner wants to retire."

"That's a lot of work."

I nodded.

"You bought a business?"

I felt sick then. I hadn't thought about it that way, but that was exactly what we had done. The land, the house and the production factory. We'd bought all of that. We got it so cheap that it made me wonder just how well the place was doing. I thought about that big mortgage we'd signed and I started to feel sick. What if we didn't make enough to pay it? What if we put down all our savings on a pipe dream?

"It will be okay." Katie placed her hand on mine. "We'll figure it out."

"I don't know how to do any of this shit. I just thought I would get up early, act like a cow boy and spend the nights partying at some bar like Gilley's."

"I think you watched Urban Cowboy too many times." And she went and popped in a disc. A chick flick that was a little bit funny, but showed the same type of factory that I was getting ready to own.

"The only thing I learned from that was to make sure the date machine is set correctly." I laughed. "What the hell am I going to do?"

"You're going to learn from the people who own it now." She told me. "And there are employees that know what they're doing and you can research – Actually, I think you should work each job in the plant right beside the workers."

"If I have any workers."

"You'll have at least one."

"How do you know that?"

"I'm going to work for you."

"I don't' remember you filling out an application."

"I didn't think I had to." She teased.

I'm not sure how I ever walked through life without Katie beside me. She stayed by my side and her sweetness never changed. Her beauty grew and she gave the prettiest baby girl in the world. Ten years – it seemed like a lot, but as I watched her take her last breath in that maternity ward, it wasn't enough.


	11. Chapter 11

Check out my full novels on Kindle. Follow Your Heart and Game Changer. I hope they are enjoyed as much as my fanfiction. :D

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** The characters in my stories are completely made up characters and have temporally been given borrowed names for the sole purpose of satisfying the qualifications for posting on this fanfiction site. These stories are fiction and should be perceived as such. They in no way reflect the lives, beliefs or views of any persons living or dead and any similarities are coincidental. I am not affiliated with any company or professional wrestler in any way. No disrespect or copyright infringement intended. And if any of my favs happen upon my stories, I hope your not offended because this is not

* * *

Okay, so it's not over yet. This chapter came to me today and I think I have a few more ideas.

* * *

Chapter 11

I walked into the factory like a zombie that afternoon. I'd spent hours holding her hand. She didn't feel cold to me and I just couldn't believe Katie was gone. The beginning of our relationship flashed through my mind like I was reliving it. In that moment I wished we were back at the beginning. As horrible as it was. I'd relive those moments a million times if it meant I didn't have to say goodbye to her.

I sat down at my desk in my office. Our office. Katie decorated it for me and she always said it was mine, but it was ours. We'd really made that business into something to be proud of. All of us. Jacob, Gus, me and Katie. She was the center of it all.

I picked up the soft fabric hair tie she'd taken from her hair and dropped on the desk. I played with it. Katie had been there working on the computer when her labor pains hit. She'd been really uncomfortable all day, but she wouldn't stay home. She wanted to be by my side. I remembered sitting on the sofa, watching her do the payroll and she wouldn't leave the office until it was done. She'd dealt with every pain. They weren't coming that close and I remember how I chuckled at her persistence.

Everyone that worked for us loved her. She was the one they all stayed for. In the beginning the employees weren't sure about new owners. Many had handed in notices to the prior owners as soon as they heard the news. But after meeting Katie and working beside her, they didn't want to leave.

We'd learned it all together and it wasn't uncommon for one or all of us to be on the floor working right beside our employees when the work load was hectic.

I touched the mouse to Katie's laptop. She'd left it sitting beside my desk top when she usually carried it everywhere with her. The certificate she'd made just before I made her go to the hospital was there. I finished filling it in and printed it. She made things for the bulletin board for all the employees. Birth announcements, marriages, anniversaries, birthdays. Every moment was special. Now it was our turn.

I walked slowly to the big board, opened the glass panel and pinned it to the cork board. The entire room clapped and whistled. Everyone was happy and had been awaiting news of the new heiress. Jacob placed a hand on my shoulder and I took a deep breath. I turned to face them and put my hand ups up slightly to calm them.

"Katie didn't make it." I choked back my sobs. "Everyone – you can all go home."

I turned and headed to my office and listened to the machines wind down until all was quiet. It didn't seem right to keep the factory running. Not then. Not when all the employees felt the pain of losing her. She just meant too much for us to keep it business as usual.

XXX

I walked down a misty path. It wasn't fog. It looked more like billowy clouds. It wasn't cold or hot. It was perfect.

"Hello, Katie."

"Mama?"

She nodded and welcomed her embrace. She looked so pretty and so young. Just the way I remembered her, but she wasn't pale. She wasn't sick.

"Look." She waved her hand toward the ground.

I gasped. I saw myself. I looked like I was sleeping but I wasn't. Roman sat there holding caressing my hand. He tried so hard to hold it together, but I saw the tears running down his cheeks. He rocked our daughter in one arm. I strolled to his side and touched his cheek. He glanced my way, like he sensed me. I touched my daughter's tiny head. Then a nurse came and took her.

"She's a beautiful baby." My mother sighed. "She's going to be so loved."

I took in a breath. I understood. I embraced Roman from behind the way I did so often. I kissed his cheek. I didn't want to say goodbye. I wasn't ready to say goodbye, but I knew I had to go. I stepped back toward the clouds, but paused and turned. I had to see him one more time.

"This is it?" I know I was supposed to be happy, but a tear escaped. "We went through all of that and – it doesn't seem fair."

My whole childhood had been horrible. Roman had fought so many demons. We managed to fall in love despite everything in our way then we struggled for years to make that failing dairy farm into something special. And now, just as things were so wonderful ...

"I know what you're thinking Katie," My mother gently consoled, rubbing my back. "But we all have a scheduled time to go."

"I know … but … I don't want to leave him."

"Here, there is only peace. No pain. No suffering. You can watch them both …"  
"But that's not true." I shook my head. "My heart hurts. I can't be whole without Roman."

"Are you sure, Katie?"

"What a shame – she was pretty."

I heard a faint whisper and suddenly my entire body felt cold. Freezing. My eyes popped open. I sucked in a big breath. I felt like I had been choking.

"Oh Geeze! Son of a bitch!" The man in front of me stumbled back, tripping and falling over the stool behind him.

I sat up. Grasping my chest and taking heavy breaths. I felt a little sore, but nothing major.

The man stood up slowly. His eyes wide.

"Well," He ran his head over his messy hair and nodded. "That's one hell of a trick lady." He swaggered over to me. "I'm Dean." He introduced himself. He seemed a bit crazy to me, but I guess he had to be to do his job.

"Katie Reigns."

"Well, Miss Katie. You'll have to excuse me, but I have some phone calls to make?" he started to step back. "You need anything? You want anything?"

"I'm cold."

"Oh, yeah. I bet. Here." He took off his jacket and put it around my shoulders then strolled into the office like he saw people wake up in the morgue every day.

XXX

I sat up in the chair beside the bed and watched television. I couldn't sleep and I couldn't stand to crawl into that bed without Katie. I rocked. Clutching a pillow that still smelled like Katie's shampoo and gazing at the diamond set I held in my fingers. The nurse handed me all Katie's things. Then she removed the rings from her finger and handed it to me. I guess that's when it really sunk in. Till death do you part – right?

The phone rang. It was the middle of the night. The phone had rang a lot that evening. I was tired of hearing everyone say how sorry they were. How much they loved her and would miss her. But for how long? A couple weeks? A month? Their lives weren't going to be that different.

I let the phone ring. I was trying to figure out what to do next. My baby was coming home soon. They said they would keep her a couple days and then I could take her home. I had made plans. I had a lot of plans – but they all included Katie. I never thought for a second that I would have to do anything without her.

I knew I had to come home and get the suitcase she'd packed. It was sitting by the front door. I didn't have time to get it before I took her to the hospital, but I had planned for that possibility to. I was supposed to come home for the suitcase. I was going to stop and get her laptop – and then spend the night at the hospital with her. I never could stand to stay away from her at night. I had to go on a business trip once. To meet some new clients. Katie was too far along to travel and I couldn't stand it. I stayed on the phone with her the entire time. Even during my meeting. I put her on speaker phone and told the men in the room that she couldn't be there in person, but she was very important to the meeting. I probably could have done it alone, but I needed her. We did it all together. Always. I didn't know what to do – I didn't know … I just didn't know.

The phone kept ringing. It would stop. Then start again. It interrupted my shock. It angered me. It was four in the morning. I know I was usually up. I was usually heading the barns. Maybe the farm hands didn't know yet. Maybe they were wondering where I was.

I slowly rose, keeping that pillow with me as I crossed the room to retrieve my cell phone. I sat it on the dresser like I always had. Charging right next to my wife's. Like every night. I touched hers. It still had a slight hint of makeup on the screen. Like it always did when she held it and it touched her cheek. I touched that spot. Missing the feel of her cheeks beneath my hands.

My phone rang again.

"Hello?" I didn't even look at the number.

"Mr. Reigns?" A man said on the other end. "Um – I don't know how to explain this – but I need you to come to the hospital. Um – we made a mistake."

Instantly, I was worried about my daughter. I rushed down the stairs. I couldn't lose them both. I couldn't lose the only piece of Katie I had left.


	12. Chapter 12

Check out my full novels on Kindle. Follow Your Heart and Game Changer. I hope they are enjoyed as much as my fanfiction. :D

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** The characters in my stories are completely made up characters and have temporally been given borrowed names for the sole purpose of satisfying the qualifications for posting on this fanfiction site. These stories are fiction and should be perceived as such. They in no way reflect the lives, beliefs or views of any persons living or dead and any similarities are coincidental. I am not affiliated with any company or professional wrestler in any way. No disrespect or copyright infringement intended. And if any of my favs happen upon my stories, I hope your not offended because this is not

* * *

Okay, so it's not over yet. This chapter came to me today and I think I have a few more ideas.

* * *

Chapter 12

I don't think there was anything that wasn't checked out by a crowd of doctors. I don't know why everyone was so freaked out. I fell asleep. What was the big deal?

"It's amazing." My regular doctor just shook his head. "I mean I've heard that the heart rate can slow so much that you can't tell that a person is alive, but I never thought I would see it."

"Look, doc. I'm not dead as you can see, so please stop talking like I am some specimen in your lab."

He laughed. "I'm sorry. It's just – wow – this is rare. You had no pulse. Your blood pressure couldn't be read. You didn't even look like you were breathing. You were like that for hours. I mean almost twelve hours – what did you see? Did you see something?"

"I don't know – I was just – I was with my mother and I saw my husband and baby. I don't remember being dead. So I couldn't have been. To me – I was awake the whole time."  
XXX

I rushed to the maternity ward and ran all the way to the desk.

"My daughter? Is she alright?" I asked out of breath.

"And what is your daughter's name sir?"

"Reigns. I got a call. They said there was a mistake."

The nurse typed something into the computer. "No – everything is fine. Nothing's wrong."

I breathed a sigh of relief.

The nurse read a little more, than her expression turned to one of sympathy. "Im not sure why they called you, but you can see your baby if you want." The nurse pointed me toward a hall and I wandered down a corridor of half glass panels. I stopped and stared at the baby sleeping so peacefully. I leaned on the railing and just watched her. She was so beautiful, but I still didn't know what to do next. I guess I needed to call her father – I probably needed to call a funeral home – I needed to make arrangements. Pink flowers. I had to get her pink roses. She loved them. And I wanted her home. I'd have to see what I needed to do to bury her on our land. So she'd be close to me. I had to have her close to me. Maybe under her favorite tree. The one that bloomed little flowers in the spring. Right before the temperatures began to warm. The one she would stand under as the flowers blew off. I could see her then with all those white particles raining down on her. Stuck in her long hair.

"Excuse me? Mr. Reigns?"

I turned toward the nurse who touched my shoulder. "There is someone looking for you – the doctor that called you?"

I nodded and followed her. She didn't say anything about why I was summoned to come to the hospital. Maybe she didn't know. We rounded a corner and went down toward the rooms. Inside the rooms I saw a few mother's holding their babies. It tore at my heart.

"Mr. Reigns!" The man who had delivered my daughter walked swiftly from the door he was standing beside. He caught up to me and held a hand out for me to shake.

"Is everything okay with my baby?" I said wearily. I was so tired that my eyes stung and I know I was still dazed.

"Oh, yes. Your daughter is perfectly healthy, but – I'm not sure how to explain this." He rubbed his neck. "it's about your wife."

I took a deep breath. I guess they needed me to sign some papers. Katie was an organ donor. It was nice to know that a part of her would live in someone else.

"This happens sometimes – honestly, I thought it was just a myth – but."

"Please." I held up my hand. "I don't need to be convinced. I know what Katie wanted and I'll be glad to sign papers for her organs to be donated."

"I don't know how to say this." The doctor fumbled. "There's just no way I can prepare you – your wife – she woke up."

I closed my eyes and opened them again. Okay, I had to be dreaming. I had passed out.

"She's not gone, Mr. Reigns. She opened her eyes just as they were about to put her in the cooler downstairs. It's the most remarkable thing I've ever seen."

I looked past him. There was a large group standing outside of a door. I headed for that door as fast as I could. I was nearly running. I tried to be polite as I squeezed through the crowd to peer at the woman in the bed, but when I finally got to her – I couldn't even speak.

XXX

Roman dropped down beside me and took me in his arms, rocking me and crying. I had never seen him break down like that before. But I knew I felt like something was missing until I was in his arms.

"I thought was I was being punished for the way I'd got you."

"You really have to stop feeling guilty about that baby." I cupped his face in my hands. "I told you I can't stand to being away from you."

The room cleared out but there was still a lot of loud chatter outside the room.

"How do you feel? Are you okay? Are you hurting?" Roman fussed over me. He didn't let me go. He rocked me gently and kissed me repeatedly. I saw fear in his eyes. Like he was scared I would slip away again. Like we had only been given enough time to say good bye before I would again be taken. "I didn't know what to do."

"You?" I giggled. My husband always had a plan. And he could come up with one in an instant if anything changed from what he expected.

"I told you I would hurt you if I made love to you." He sobbed. "I keep hurting you."

"Shut up, Roman." I laughed at him. Ten years and he still worried about hurting me when we were intimate. "Being with you is the most wonderful thing in the world." Our love making was always beautiful. Time never faded how it felt to be one with him.

"I missed you."

"I wasn't gone that long." I tried to bring him around, but he still seemed to be in a daze. There were many times when I looked at him and I wondered if he really loved me. I wondered if he had only become attached to me because of the past and I wondered if everything was just him still trying to make up for what he'd done so long before.

In that moment, I knew. His love for me was as deep as mine was for him and I got scared. What if I lost him? What if fate sent me back and planned to take him instead? I feared that we weren't given this time without a catch. I didn't want to live without him. I couldn't. Not on Earth or the afterlife. I had to be with him.

"I love you so much." He broke down again. He couldn't control himself. He'd gain control for a few moments, then break down again. It scared me. I felt like we were saying goodbye and I didn't want to say goodbye.

XXX

It didn't seem real. But I wasn't sure what part. I didn't seem real when I heard the flatlined heart monitor. It didn't seem real when they gazed at me and said she was gone. It didn't seem real when they said there was nothing more they could do. I'd watched them try to revive her. I'd watched it all. None of it seemed real.

Now it didn't seem real that she had come back to me. I just couldn't let her go. Even when the nurse brought our baby in the room and laid her in Katie's arms. I didn't leave her side. I sat beside her in that bed, holding her. Watching her with our daughter. I committed every second to my memory believing that I would soon wake up and realize none of it was real. It was the closest to those memories I would ever have and I didn't want to wake up. I was willing to live my whole life in that dream until I could be with her again.


	13. Chapter 13

Check out my full novels on Kindle. Follow Your Heart and Game Changer. I hope they are enjoyed as much as my fanfiction. :D

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 **Disclaimer:** The characters in my stories are completely made up characters and have temporally been given borrowed names for the sole purpose of satisfying the qualifications for posting on this fanfiction site. These stories are fiction and should be perceived as such. They in no way reflect the lives, beliefs or views of any persons living or dead and any similarities are coincidental. I am not affiliated with any company or professional wrestler in any way. No disrespect or copyright infringement intended. And if any of my favs happen upon my stories, I hope your not offended because this is not

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Okay, so it's not over yet. This chapter came to me today and I think I have a few more ideas.

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Chapter 13

We went home. I walked into the house with our baby, Faith in my arms and found a room full of people waiting to greet us. There were balloons and pink ribbons everywhere. And I know it was just how Roman had planned it. I knew the surprise went exactly how he wanted it to, but no one planned the tears and happy smiles everyone had for me.

"I don't know what we would have done without you." Gus held me a long time. Jacob wiped tears from his eyes and Roman hadn't left my side since he'd come back to the hospital. Jacob had to get the car for us when I was discharged because my husband wouldn't let me go. I had a hard time going to the bathroom without him.

I saw how scared he was every minute of the day. And I know how he felt. I was terrified too. I didn't want to be without him. It was like that, even weeks after I'd come home. We had this cloud hanging over us and we clung to each other constantly. I'm not even sure Roman slept. Anytime I opened my eyes he seemed to watching me and I think he sighed a breath of relief when I opened my eyes each morning.

"You need to sleep baby." I woke to feed Faith. "You're so tired." I was too. I forced myself to stay awake until I passed out. Scared I would wake and find Roman gone.

I became depressed. I didn't know if the second chance was worth it. There was this heavy cloud over us that kept us from being as happy as we were before.

"We have to stop this." I spat out one day. He was worried about me and his eyes were puffy from constantly crying. "Roman, what kind of life are we going to have if we live every moment scared that one of us is going to die."

"I just can't get out of my mind. I never thought that I'd have to live without you but now I know that one day I will."

"I can't stand living with that on my mind all the time."

We held each other that night in silence. Things were different. It wasn't how it was before and there seemed to be nothing we could do to change it.

XXX

I fell asleep. I didn't like to fall asleep. I felt like every moment with her was borrowed and I didn't want to lose a moment to sleep or work.

"Roman." I found myself walking on a foggy path. Or was it clouds and I felt sick to my stomach. If I was dead – then I'd left her. "Roman." The voice addressed me with a sweet tone, but she was very stern.

A figure came out of the fog and stood before me. I knew her, but only from a photograph.

"Katie wasn't sent back to live like this." She sighed. "She was sent back because you two share a powerful love. You are two hearts that can't live without the other in any world."

"I can't help it." I sobbed. "I'm so scared."

"You died Roman." She informed me. "You didn't take the gift you were given and you continued to grieve until your heart gave out."

"No." I shook my head. "Please."

"I was sent to you to tell you that you don't have to be afraid. You have a special kind of love. You and Katie will never have to be without each other." She waved her hand and saw a picture of a very frail looking couple. A very old couple surrounded by younger versions of themselves. They laid in a hospital bed clinging to each other and holding hands. The people around them were crying. The couple had just passed away. That couple was me and Katie.

"We're going to go together?"

"That's right." The woman in white smiled. "And that day is a long time from today. Go back Roman and live life. Things are going to go wrong. People will leave you. But you can't worry about that every second or you won't be living and you won't enjoy the time you have with the people you love."

I gasped for air, sitting up in my bed with a sudden jolt. Instantly, I realized that Katie had awoken the same way. With a hand on her chest she gazed at me and we smiled at each other, realizing we had the same dream.

The End.


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